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Duties

Summary

A successful candidate in this position will utilize your expertise to provide legal support in areas of intellectual property, technology transfer and contracts for Sites and for Management and Operating (M&O) contractors.

Responsibilities

As a Legal Administrative Specialist, you will:

Receive and independently process requests from contractors and other entities for a broad range of legal matters, including, but not limited to:retention of title to inventions, assertion of copyrights, return of title to inventions, requests for waiver of title to inventions, background intellectual property reviews, and securing assignments and confirmatory licenses.

Make preliminary determination of the legal action necessary to process office actions received from U.S. and foreign patent offices from initial filing through issuance of a patent;Handle contractor requests to retain title to subject inventions, requests for waivers of title, research and development patent clearance certifications, reviews of background intellectual property for cooperative agreements, and patent application and office action processing;Identify, select, assemble and summarize substantive information needed to address issues and problems through the use and understanding of regulations, department orders, procedures, prior legal opinions, and other legal reference materials.

Draft and edit non-legal memoranda, reports, and correspondence relating to the business of the IP&TT Division.-Communicates with HQ, field office, and non-government attorneys are made to obtain and provide factual information and data, to receive and give instructions, and answer questions relatin

Work with legal case tracking software, including but not limited to HQ DOE patent information processing system (IPMaster).

Independent analysis and monitoring of a wide range of contract/subcontracts and evaluation of patent documentation.

Make preliminary determination of the legal action necessary to process office actions received from U.S. and foreign patent offices from initial filing through issuance of a patent.

Travel Required

25% or less - May require up to 10% of travel away from duty station.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

02

As a Legal Administrative Specialist, you will:

Receive and independently process requests from contractors and other entities for a broad range of legal matters, including, but not limited to: retention of title to inventions, assertion of copyrights, return of title to inventions, requests for waiver of title to inventions, background intellectual property reviews, and securing assignments and confirmatory licenses.

Make preliminary determination of the legal action necessary to process office actions received from U.S. and foreign patent offices from initial filing through issuance of a patent; Handle contractor requests to retain title to subject inventions, requests for waivers of title, research and development patent clearance certifications, reviews of background intellectual property for cooperative agreements, and patent application and office action processing; Identify, select, assemble and summarize substantive information needed to address issues and problems through the use and understanding of regulations, department orders, procedures, prior legal opinions, and other legal reference materials.

Draft and edit non-legal memoranda, reports, and correspondence relating to the business of the IP&TT Division.-Communicates with HQ, field office, and non-government attorneys are made to obtain and provide factual information and data, to receive and give instructions, and answer questions relating to the activities of IP&TT Division and particularly to obtain compliance with contractor intellectual property obligations.

Work with legal case tracking software, including but not limited to HQ DOE patent information processing system (IPMaster).

Independent analysis and monitoring of a wide range of contract/subcontracts and evaluation of patent documentation.

Make preliminary determination of the legal action necessary to process office actions received from U.S. and foreign patent offices from initial filing through issuance of a patent.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Subject to Random Drug Testing

Must pass a pre-employment drug test

Favorable suitability determination required

Must be able to obtain/maintain a Q level Security Clearance

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

You must be a United States Citizen

This employer participates in the e-Verify program

Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements

Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification

A one year probationary period may be required

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower NNSA Demonstration Project pay band or GS grade level in the Federal Service, i.e., GS-07 or NQ-01.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Legal support in intellectual property actions, claims and litigation, support of legal activities in case file handling, and case management software applications.

Examples of qualifying experience include:

Receive, review and independently respond to legal administrative requests and tasking which include compiling documentation, coordinating with proper office and stakeholders and providing responses composed of solutions and completed staff work.

Substantive written and oral communication skills derived from time working in a busy, high-profile legal environment.

The ability to find and research administrative and legal answers in written and electronic databases and resources.

Knowledge of patent prosecution and general litigation case management and docket management.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs).Do not provide a separate narrative written statement.Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below.Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position.DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!

Knowledge of the functions and operations of intellectual property offices, departments and contractor organizations in order to carry out the requirements of patent administration and contract clearance.

Knowledge of and skill in applying a wide variety of international, federal and state laws, including but not limited to:international treaties, international agreements, U.S. Patent Statutes, and Procurement Statutes relating to intellectual property matters;and knowledge in the use of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedures (MPEP).

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience.Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include:volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps);as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations.Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills;and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Time-in-Grade/Band: You must have completed 52 weeks in a position equivalent to the next lower band, i.e., NQ-01 or GS-07.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

Qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

EDUCATION:There is no Education for this position.

However, you may substitute the completion of two full years of graduate education or all of the requirements for a master's (or higher) degree in a field directly related to legal administrative work for the specialized experience requirement for NQ-02. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements.

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.

If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.

More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.

Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.

Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.

All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

We will also verify that you are eligible for Merit Promotion positions by reviewing your previous Federal employment to ensure you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. If you are eligible to apply to Merit Promotion announcements based on Veteran or other non-competitive statuses, we will verify your supporting documentation prior to referral.

Your performance appraisals and incentive awards will be given due consideration in the selection process based on their relation to the duties of the position and the consistency with which they may be considered in evaluating you against other applicants.

If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Drug test required

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How to Apply

To be considered for this position, you must submit your complete application no later than 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. If you do not submit a complete application prior to the closing time (regardless of when you started) the online application system will not allow you to finish! Requests for extensions will not be granted, so please begin the application process allowing yourself enough time to finish before the deadline. Our online application system displays a countdown timer at the top of the screen for your reference.

For your security, your session in our online application system will "time-out" if you are inactive for a certain period of time. We recommend that you preview the assessment questions before you apply and prepare all of your information prior to beginning the application. If you do get "timed-out" you will have to log back in to USAJOBS and re-visit the vacancy announcement, you can then click "Update Application" to finish where you left off.

Steps to submit a complete application:

Click the "Apply Online" button. If you are not already logged in, you will need to do so.

You must have a complete resume associated with your USAJOBS account. Please note that some DOE offices do not accept uploaded resumes and instead require that you submit a USAJOBS-formatted resume using the Resume Builder.

You will be prompted to select a resume and any documentation you have attached to your USAJOBS account before you are transferred to the Department of Energy's online application system. Please be aware that any document you select before being transferred to our system, will not automatically be received. You must take steps to download your documents from USAJOBS during the "Documents" step within our online application system (see Step 6).

If you are a first-time applicant to the Department of Energy, you'll be asked to register an account first. If you are a returning applicant, you will skip this step and go straight to the application portion.

You must respond to all applicant assessment questions, carefully following all instructions provided.

You will then be asked to upload additional supporting documentation. If you selected documents from USAJOBS prior to being transferred to our application system (Step 3), you will need to click the "USAJOBS" link to complete the transfer process. These documents ARE NOT automatically transferred! It is ultimately your responsibility to make sure all required documents are either faxed, uploaded, or transferred from USAJOBS successfully. If you are unsure that your documents went through, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the announcement BEFORE the vacancy closes.

After reviewing your submission in the final step, you must click "Submit Application" at the bottom of the page. If you leave the application before clicking Submit, your application will not be received.

If your resume does not support the responses in your application questionnaire, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

NEED HELP?

If you experience any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button): contact the HR Office listed on this announcement between normal business hours. If you are receiving any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text and number. If necessary, we will put you in touch with the technical support number if we are unable to assist you personally.

If you need help with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center and select a topic of inquiry. Or, you may reach out to USAJOBS directly for support, by visiting the USAJOBS Contact Us page. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the Department of Energy.

If you are experiencing a significant hardship which hinders your ability to apply online please contact the HR Office listed on this announcement during normal business hours to discuss your situation.

Stacy Nahlee

Phone

Fax

Email

Address

Next steps

After each step in the recruitment process, your status will be updated in our application tracking system. Once this happens, if you have elected to receive e-mail updates, you will be notified through your USAJOBS registered e-mail address. If you have not elected for e-mail updates, you can review your current application status in USAJOBS at any time. Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job--this will ensure we are able to contact you as quickly as possible.

In addition to changing your status online, the system will send you e-mail notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or not eligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.

RequiredDocuments

Required Documents

Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.If you are unsure, click the link for each document type to read more.

ALL APPLICANTS:You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.

Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of the each employer.

For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.

For paid work experience, please indicate your starting grade/salary for each position and the highest grade/salary you earned (if different).

List all incentive awards on your resume that are related to the duties of this position.

Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).

Most DOE offices will allow you to submit a resume in the format of your choice (as an attached document or as a USAJOBS Resume Builder format). However, some offices may require one specific format. You will be notified at the time you click 'Apply Online' which type of resume is acceptable. It is important that you are complete and thorough in your resume. If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.

Performance Appraisals: You must submit your two (2) most recent performance appraisals.

Current and former Federal employees: Most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action).

To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility!

Full position title;

appointment type;

occupational series;

pay plan, grade, and step;

tenure code; and

service computation date (SCD).

If your current position SF50 does not indicate you have competitive service status or does not reflect the pay plan and grade of the highest position you have held in the competitive service, in addition to your current SF50, you must provide your previous SF-50s that provide the proof of competitive status and highest grade held on a permanent basis.

If specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy:Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.

For Professional, Scientific and Engineering Positions: If qualifying on the basis of an alternate method, i.e., professional license, you must submit official documentation to support your claim with your application package.

Veterans:veteran eligibility documentation (DD-214 Member #4 Copy, VA Letter, Standard Form (SF) 15 as applicable). Please note: If you are a veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.

Persons with Disabilities: Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits will be required.

Displaced Federal employees who qualify for CTAP/ICTAP: If you are a former Federal employee who was displaced due to a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) or surplused by some other means, please submit a copy of the separation letter or RIF notice from your agency. To be selected under I/CTAP, you must still be found well-qualified for this position. Please see the OPM Guide to Career Transition for more information.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: